standing, staring, walking, driving

Walks & Waterfalls: the ups and downs of Kakadu

Before the arrival of Europeans in the Kakadu region there were as many as twenty native languages in use. Today there are three main languages: Gagudju, Gun-djeihmi and Jawoyn. According to information in the Warradjan Cultural centre, aboriginal children may speak English as their third language because they’ll often learn the neighbouring area’s tongue as well as their own.

As so often happens with words that cross cultural boundaries and enter into new languages, new spellings and meanings are employed. So when we went to see, feel and climb Nourlangie it wasn’t too much of a surprise to discover from one of the information panels that, although it is a well-known Northern Territory landmark, the name is totally wrong.

Not Nourlangie

In fact the real Nourlangie is situated a few kilometres down the road and get this: It’s not called Nourlangie either! It’s called Nawurlandja. Confused? You should be.

What seems to have happened is that some white people (who were hard-of-hearing and possibly sight) ‘corrupted’ the name Nawurlandja and then applied it to the larger, more impressive of the two outcrops. For the record, the lower section and surrounds of the rock are called Angbangbang and the upper section is named Burrunggui (Boor-oon-goy). Splendid names – so why were they changed?

At Angbangbang we followed a short rock art trail (rock art as in cave paintings not art made from rocks if that’s what you’re thinking). Not being rock art aficionados we were expecting faded renditions of hands and barely discernible primitive hunting images. Instead we were delighted by frightening human-flesh-eating mythological characters, plus detailed portrayals of animals with graphic depictions of their organs, that were brought to live in bright colours and incredibly preserved.

Rock Art (including the Lightning Man top right)

Clearly most visitors settled for this experience, but for us it was just the start of a four-hour walk that traversed the side of the rock up onto the plateau – a whole different magical geological world.

We wandered through a landscape of ancient conglomerate sandstones, evidently land that used to be seabed, which had weathered remarkably over the eons to look like huge wrinkled grey pillars, rather like enormous elephant legs.

Wrinkly rocks

Afternoons are blisteringly hot so it pays to have a swim, but there is no water at Burrunggui. Instead we sheltered from the sun and ate our lunch in the cool shade of an overhanging rock.

At the halfway point on the walk we came across a further site of impressive rock art, including a sketch of a white sailing ship from the 19th century. Here we also saw the only other people on the walk – a group of four and a woman on her own – before descending to the world of roads, cars and caravans.

“Kakadu is not a place to find fossils.” Said our pilot on a short boat trip along Twin Falls Gorge. “It’s too old for fossils.

“It is one big fossil!” quipped Jacques.

We moved camp to the Jim-Jim region of the Park so that we could visit Jim-Jim Falls (Barrkmalam) and Twin Falls. The campsite is situated 60km down a dirt road and provides a good staging point to access the waterfalls along the gnarly 4WD route.

Lift feet now

Once (or rather twice) again, we weren’t prepared to just drive in and see the bottom of the falls and then head off. Along with Helen and Jacques we trekked the steep, twisting rocky tracks up to the cool still waters on the plateaus. This was a fine tactic as it turned out – not only because the heat, even by 10am, is fit for peeling skin – but because crocodiles can’t climb waterfalls. At least that’s what we thought!

First we visited Twin Falls, going in by boat to the base, and then climbing up to look down (three hours return including a swim at the top). The next day we rose at dawn and drove to Jim-Jim to eat breakfast in a deserted car park before our ascent. The track notes claimed 6-8 hours return for a 6km walk so we were expecting the mother of all scrambles.

Us at the bottom of Twin Falls

Graham at the top of Twin Falls

Pools at the top of Twin Falls

It turned out to be a very steep start as we trudged through a rainforest-like gully. Then we passed through, round and under spectacular rock formations before a long hot tramp across the plateau where the inestimably old sandstone rock is slowly returning to sand.

Among the rocks we were teased by a beautiful native bird that kept hopping just out of our view, until, eventually we managed to creep up close enough to capture it … with a 300mm zoom lens.

So HERE’S THE COMPETITION YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR!

What is the name of this bird?

Name the bird ... win a prize

Answers in the comments section below please, and if you get the name correct before Jacques is home and can confirm via his bird book, then a prize will be posted to you at earliest (or most convenient) convenience!

At the end of the walk we were rewarded with more phenomenal views of Kakadu and immaculate, refreshing pools. Incredibly Jacques just caught sight of a freshwater croc in a secluded pool below the overhang we looked down from, way up the cliff face, but still perhaps 40m above the bottom of the falls.

Ella near the base of Jim-Jim Falls

View from Jim-Jim Falls - well worth the walk

Our brief stay in Kakadu has been outstanding. On the drive in we wondered if it could possibly live up to the hype we had heard. We prepared for disappointment. We prepared, but there was no need. The fact is, Kakadu does live up to the hype if you go exploring.

We will be back, have no fear, but first there is the little matter of Jatbula, plus the Darwin festival, to deal with.

Thanks John, Darwin will be interesting (I hope). I enjoy your blog too http://jhalbrook.wordpress.com. I note your recent write up on *On the beach * – my Mum’s been reading all of Schute’s books recently to get a ‘feel’ for Oz (from a Pom’s perspective?).

I’m curious to see *Wake in fright* after reading Kate Jenning’s review of a Canadian’s take on the Outback circa late ’60s… but then I haven’t seen a moving image for three weeks now!